Word: impassive (adjective)

Associations

"Impassive" means showing no emotion or feeling on the face or in behavior. When someone is impassive, they look calm and do not show what they are thinking or feeling inside.

• Example 1: The judge listened to the story with an impassive expression. (The judge did not show any emotion.)
• Example 2: She remained impassive even when she heard the bad news. (She did not show sadness or surprise.)
• Example 3: His impassive face made it hard to know if he agreed or disagreed. (His face showed no reaction.)

Synonym: "emotionless." The difference is that "impassive" often means calm and without visible feelings, while "emotionless" can mean no feelings at all, sometimes more negative or cold.

Substitution

You can say:

• "expressionless" (focuses on the face showing no emotion)
• "stoic" (shows control over emotions, often in difficult situations)
• "unemotional" (not showing emotions)

Each word changes the meaning slightly:

• "Stoic" suggests strength.
• "Expressionless" just means no visible emotion.
• "Unemotional" means not showing feelings.

Deconstruction

"Impassive" comes from:

• Prefix "im-" meaning "not"
• Root "passive" meaning "showing feelings or reactions" So, "impassive" literally means "not showing feelings."

The word comes from Latin "impassivus," meaning "not suffering or feeling."

Inquiry

• Can you think of a time when someone was impassive in a movie or real life? Why do you think they stayed calm?
• How do you feel when you try to be impassive? Is it easy or hard for you?
• When might it be good or bad to be impassive?